Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Festival!

What a busy little camper I have been. Yesterday we held out 7th Music festival at my flat farm. Jerry Garcia was smiling down from the heavens and sent perfect weather!

The last three weeks were spent getting the place ready for the fun. The new pole barn got all of its skin finished up and windows installed. The stage was repaired and the video screen was hung. With a small army of helpers, pushing and riding mowers, swinging weed whackers, and myself on the John Deere pulling the brush hog the grounds looked beautiful. The place is a natural for music. Pole barn is the back drop and the land gently drops away towards the property. When a band is playing you can not hear it at the street.

My youngest son Jon started this festival in 2000 and called it "Pig Jam." Back then we roasted a pig as part of the party. We have evolved and no longer do that, but serve a more sophisticated menu. This year included Corn, hot dogs, hamburgers, clams, corn bread, baked beans, salt potatoes, stuffed hot peppers, sausage, squash steaks, many desserts, snack trays including cheeses, crackers, grapes, mango slices, apples, and bean dip, plus desserts, and stuff I have forgotten. Dick and Manny did a chicken bar-b-b-q.All beverages are B.Y.O.B to reduce liability even though this has not been a problem as of yet. Also put on breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning, no one went hungry!

We encourage those attending to car pool, allow no street parking at all. and invite everyone to spend the week-end at the farm. This year we had motor homes, pop-ups, and tent villages sprawled in all corners of the 27 acres we use. Only rules are no fires and no dogs! Campers started setting up their homes away from home on Wednesday and some are still there as I type. Some set-ups looked quite comfy, some even had solar walkway lights, we do allow torch lanterns and grilles. Common sense being the guiding light. I visited every site several times and met some very nice people!

So you do not think I am some dirty filthy Hippie let me assure you this event is family friendly. We had folks from 9 months to 84 years old. The kids are the best thing and all had a great time. I do not judge anyones lifestyle nor care how they handle stress, but I do demand respect for all my guests so all those doing their thing did it discretely.

Friday was the kick off party and we served kettle cooked walleye and got the stage dressed up for the big show on Saturday. Music was everywhere from drum circles , to the full blown production on Saturday. 11 bands played until 6:30 am Sunday morning. No mishaps, fights, or complaints from neighbors. This is truly about the music!

The only thing I feel bad about is the cost. We have not totaled everything this year, but close to even is good. The first two we did not charge to get in and it got too costly. We decided not to have anymore. Our guests changed our minds and even set up presale tickets. So since year three we have charged $25.00 prepaid and $30.00 the day of the show. We also do a very long V.I.P list for those that dig in and help. Those that join the clean-up crew on Sunday get a free ride the following year!

Wow! That is the coolest thing! You have it on your farm, and it sounds like you have everything under control and thought about, which is why everyone has a great time and it just keeps going. Heck, I would go to something like that. What fun!

This sounds like a fun event! Friends, Family and Fun! Nothing better! I'm jealous about the Walleye! We don't have any here! When I travel to MN to visit the inlaws we catch as many as we can and fly them to ID. I haven't had any for a couple of years!

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About Me

Ready to get out of the race! Working at setting up our homestead in the hills. I bought a valley with a stream, a north facing slope and a south facing slope. We are going to live in what will become the guest house and build the house of our dreams into a south facing hillside overlooking our stream! Grew up with parents that marched to thier own drum and it has rubbed off. Married to my bride for 37 years and have teenage grandkids.I have always had two or three jobs at a time, that won't change other then I am retiring from my state job after 25 years. Plan to continue farming the flat farm even after my son buys it and will put 40 acres back into production at the new homestead. Our site lends itself to hydro-electric and I see this as an opportunity to make my carbon footprint somewhat smaller. Lots of research has gone into passive solar, underground living, and renewable energy in general.We have grown a large percentage of our own food for several years as I believe the commercial food industry is poison. I hunt, forage, hate lawns, and I am not that fond of close neighbors. Cured that by buying the whole road.